Customer Reviews

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1996 Spoken Word Adaptation)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

All of my other fellow "reviewers" above/below, whatever, seem to be going out of their way to show the world how "hip," how...dare I say this, "gonzo" they are in describing this CD. You're missing the whole point, folks: YOU weren't "there," it's wasn't YOUR "trip," so how dare you have the temerity to say THIS "interpretation" is "incorrect?" I think Duke himself left the verbiage in "Fear And Loathing" purposefully vague, so as to let the reader use his OWN imagination regarding, say, "senzaman wazzyneeds," or "dead grandmother crawling up his leg with a knife in her teeth," or "with the right kind of eyes, you can almost see where the wave crested and broke." Indeed, it's kind of like that old Charles M. Young album review of 'Woodstock' in 'Rolling Stone,' where a female protagonist is saying to someone who is being OH-so-hip, "that's why there will never BE a 'Woodstock Nation,' you won't let anybody share your trip." But, hey, since we're all being so "subjective," and all, let me throw in MY opinion about something: be a little real, Jimmy Buffett portraying the cop that pulled Duke over in the desert? Right, SURE: that's about like Tiny Tim doing the voice of Gonzo...on a more positive closing note though, Harry Dean Stanton's narration is absolutely perfect, and the music is fantastic, PARICULARLY Waddy Wachtel's note-for-note rendition of "Sympathy For The Devil." Buy the ticket and take your OWN ride, people.

I really enjoyed this adaptation of one of my favourite books. It is funny and having become very familiar with the prose I think it is a faithful attempt by the creators to make something that reflects the material well. It makes me laugh and the main advantage of the format is that I can enjoy the book whilst driving. How cool is that?

This spoken word collection of exerpts from Dr. Hunter S. Thompson's classic book is a must for fans of the work. While the characters on the album can't really touch the way Depp and Del Toro handled the characters in the movie, the people do a fine job. I really like it because Breakdown on Paradise Boulevard is on it. It's one of my favorite parts of the book, and I wish it had been in the movie.

....I think Duke himself left the verbiage in "Fear And Loathing" purposefully vague, so as to let the reader use his OWN imagination regarding, say, "senzaman wazzyneeds," or "dead grandmother crawling up his leg with a knife in her teeth," or "with the right kind of eyes, you can almost see where the wave crested and broke." .... ...be a little real, Jimmy Buffett portraying the cop that pulled Duke over in the desert? Right, SURE: that's about like Tiny Tim doing the voice of Gonzo...on a more positive closing note though, Harry Dean Stanton's narration is absolutely perfect, and the music is fantastic, PARICULARLY Waddy Wachtel's note-for-note rendition of "Sympathy For The Devil." ....

Strange memories, evil reviews, looking for a ray of light amid bogs of terrifying minds. What does it all mean? What has it all come down to? The American Dream must surely have perished here and now with single-parented infants shaping the minds of a generation of a generation raised on television. The worms are closing from all sides...

The reality of the situation is obvious, the recording is an impressive recreation of an American classic. Besides doing a fine job edititing in creative sound effects (consistant match heads being struck...cigarettes or spoooons) interwoven with beautifully read lines. It comes off sounding like a hipster radio story from the 30's, with excellent sound quiality and ingenuity. Those looking for a Johnny Depp-esque Thompson impression should look to the movie and no further. To the fools and ingrates out there who need their entertainment not only spoon fed to them but placed nicely in front of them on a large screen television with plenty of easily digested visual imagery with the expectation only to use the lowest levels of the intellect, just because Thompson talks in his unique manor in reality, his mind's ear hears his written voice as this. Calm and clear regardless of the chaos inflicted on it. After all, he is a doctor, and he has stated words which affirm this truism.

Also, Thompson fears that when people laugh upon his entrance into a room, it's because of Where The Buffalo Roam, please discontinue recommending.

This album is a fantastic, irrevrent dramatization of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", a bricollage of old and new music, celebrity voices and solid performers, great sound effects and the occasional horrendous noise. Buy it as a complement to the book and the movie, you'll never regret hearing Maury Chakin scream "KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY $%^&#*& NECK!". Almost more fun than a man can take. NOTE: This is not the soundtrack to Terry Gilliam's movie, it is essentially a radio play, separate from any of the movie publicity.

Jim Jarmusch sounds bored. Maury Chaykin sounds as if he is reading instead of living the performance, at least at the beginning. The material is,of course,top notch. The perormances even out as the reading continues. My experience with the movie (and the book) is a much better one but I am tainted by the movie, having seen it (and lived it!) a few dozen times. I can see where this cd will grow on me. It really started out as a 1 star for me but has progressed to a 3 star. I believe when I get over my prejudice for the movie this cd could make it to a 5 star rating. Give it a chance.

I love this raw audio play of the book. No holds barred reading of the book that took Thomson into the mainstream. Loaded with passion, the actors give their all to create a potent and heart felt performances.

This spoken word adaptation of the book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is by no means a substitute for the literature. It lacks the depth of character that can be found in the readings and in the recent movie adaptation. Stanton's readings stray closer to William S Burroughs than to Thompson's dry and hurried vocalisms. Jarmusch's New York nasalities do little to support the dramatic text relayed and Chaykin, though he may look the part, speaks in such a thick and guttural feyness that one can't possibly fathom the picture a large Samoan in Gonzo/Lazlo. Regardless, the excerpts used are chosen well and the recording does sound excellent, but I implore anyone buying this to first read the book and to check out the movie as well. Oh, and don't forget about "Where the Buffalo Roam" a late Seventies movie gem starring Bill Murray As Hunter. It's excellent...

This was the funniest, most original books i have ever read and this vocal adaptation was excellent. The people who do the characters on her have so much passion and that really makes the story come alive. The movie adaptation was nowhere near as good as the audio book. The parts were not well played by johnny depp and that other guy. they picked the entirely wrong guy to play the lawyer. johnny depp was good but he lacked the intensity of the audio book. I must have listened to that disc for months before i ever grew tired of it. I would recommend this version to anyone before they see the movie.